Helpful Links & Info for Canadians
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Canadians Buying Real Estate in the US
Are there any restrictions for Canadian buyers purchasing homes in Arizona?
There are no restrictions for foreign nations buying property in Arizona, that I am aware of.
How do I obtain financing to buy property?
Generally, you will be required to provide the following to a lender:
1. Copies of passport and visa.
2. Last two pay stubs.
3. Last two bank statements.
4. Last two years tax returns. If self employed, a letter from an accountant stating how many years you've been in business, and business tax returns.
5. Verification of 2 years employment history.
6. International credit report - lender will order.
7. Set up American bank account for transfer of money.
8. Generally, the lender will require 20% to 50% down payment.
What costs are involved in purchasing a property in Arizona?
Most of the cost involved in purchasing a property will be fees that you pay to the lender, which is primarily done through a title company. In Arizona, the title company handles the transaction, so there isn't the cost of an attorney.
You will also most likely pay for a home inspection, termite inspection, an appraisal, the escrow (title) fee, title insurance, recording fee, property taxes and homeowner's insurance.
A good rule of thumb, is to figure your closing costs will be approximately 3% or the purchase price of the home. This cost will be much less if you are paying cash for a property.
Arizona does not have a real estate transfer tax. The seller pays the commission for the real estate agent.
What about property taxes in Arizona?
You will be pleasantly surprised by how low our property taxes are. Each city and county will vary slightly, but taxes are usually around .8 - 1.5% of the purchase price.
Are Canadian buyers subject to capital gains tax when the Arizona property is sold?
The Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) imposes U.S. tax on income and gains from real estate owned by "non-resident aliens" at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons.
Copy this & put it in your car. 
There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your cell phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival.
First:
The Emergency Number worldwide for mobile phones is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network, and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you. Interestingly, this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.
Have you locked your keys in the car? Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday.
If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone (does it have to be their cell phone?), from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car, you can unlock the doors or the trunk.
Hidden Battery Power. Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery power. This reserve will get charged the next time you charge your cell phone.
Know how to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: *#06# A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. If your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones.
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us don't carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial: 800/FREE-411 or 800/373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.
"By the way do you know the latest Arizona Law to hit the state besides photo radar?"
FYI…
Check this out:
Unclaimed money in Arizona Dept of Revenue
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